If You're Petite ...

If you are tiny like Kate Bosworth, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale swimsuit shopping is easier than you think! Check out our editor’s picks for must-have suits, and get expert advice from swimsuit designers and celebrity stylists. By Andrea DeSimone

LOGO-PRINT BIKINI

Vanessa Hudgens works her petite frame in a one-of-a-kind Ed Hardy number. Sometimes logos can overwhelm a small body, but not this one. Danna Pomeroy, founder of Fiji Time Swimsuits & More says the print “calls attention to the top half, making her [chest] look bigger, and the bottom print combined with the buckles makes her hips look curvier.”

EMBELLISHED BIKINI

Ashley Tisdale’s edgy Ed Hardy bikini helps give her small body a sizzling shape. Danna Pomeroy, founder of Fiji Time Swimsuits & More, says the design on just one side of Ashley’s sliding triangle top gives the illusion of a fuller bosom, while the print low on the bottom makes her appear taller – and helps distract from thighs.

BRIGHT BANDEAU

Never get tan lines again! Eva Longoria Parker lounges deck-side on a yacht in Portofino, Italy – sunning her shoulders and setting off her golden tan in an orange bikini. The bandeau can be hard, but a bold print or bright color can help a small chest appear larger.

BELTED TANKINI

Play up your tiniest asset – your waist! This basic style can help give you curves and accentuate a petite frame. “Belts add a whole new dimension that small girls need to wear the tankini top,” says Pomeroy.

COLOR COMBO

Rebecca Gayheart celebrates her slim frame in an all-out bold bikini. The bright crochet is perfect for a petite girl – the colors and strings both add curves. If you are tiny, don’t be afraid to play with colors and materials on the beach.

STRING BIKINI

The actress flaunts her petite frame in a striped triangle top – which turns out to be just right for her small bustline. “Small busted girls don’t need padding,” says Malia Mills, designer of Malia Mills swimwear. “Don’t try to change what you have.”

CROCHET SWIMWEAR

Looking for an attention-grabbing suit? Crochet beachwear, usually made in skimpy styles like triangle tops and tie sides, are best for small girls. “These suits typically don’t offer a lot of coverage,” says Danna Pomeroy, founder of Fiji Time Swimsuits & More, “So they are great for women with smaller chests who are fit and want to show almost all in flair.”

BANDED TRIANGLE TOPS

You don’t need padding to get an extra lift. Sade Lythcott, designer and co-founder of Lunazul swimwear, recommends a wider band underneath the triangles. “For smaller girls, it pushes [the bust] up and creates natural cleavage.”

PADDED HALTERS

But if you really want the extra oomph, try just a little bit of padding. Stick to the triangle shape to get natural cleavage, but “don’t try to use padding to be a size up,” warns Lythcott. “Very little padding is needed for the extra va-va-voom.”

BANDEAU BIKINIS

The Desperate Housewife takes a chance with her small frame and goes for a jeweled bandeau top. “Bandeau tops are death for small tops because they make you look even smaller,” says Lythcott. Longoria Parker’s saving grace: the jeweled centerpiece, which helps give shape.

HARDWARE BOTTOMS

Ties aren’t the only way to spice up bikini bottoms! Petite bodies can have fun with hardware shapes like plastic sides, double rings, jewels and more. Lythcott recommends sticking to a low-rise style to avoid cutting off the waist.

RUFFLE TOPS

If a small bust is getting you down for swimsuit season, take a note from Selma in her heart printed Juicy Couture bikini. “Play up your small bust with a swimsuit top that has bold patterns and colors,” says Danna Pomeroy, founder and president of Fiji Time Swimwear & More.

CENTER HALTER

Don’t let an itty-bitty bikini get in the way of beach play. Hilary Duff is ready for a game of volleyball in a string halter number. “The bra-style cups gives shape to the bust line while the inverted halter provides security,” says Cisneros.